Chapter Twenty-Three

52.5K 1.9K 3.5K
                                    

Thank you so much for your patience!

I'm sorry for the long wait; it took me longer than anticipated to get this new update written, but it's here now!

Thank you for all of the comments you left on the previous chapter - it's awesome to know that people care about the characters as much as they do and get so attached to my writing! It's for reactions like the ones I got on the previous chapter (even those of you who say you hate me, I'll forgive you haha) that I continue to write!

Enjoy this update, and sorry that it's a bit short!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I felt the damp cold of the earth against my cheek first, before I opened my eyes. My fingers scraped at the dirt, feeling my surroundings. I was laying on the floor of a forest, in a clearing, and my entire body ached. I shuddered as I slowly tried to drag myself up, recollecting the fragments of what had happened. I'd walked with Harry down to the Forbidden Forest, then followed him inside after he kissed me. I found the Resurrection Stone, and before I could turn it over three times on my hand and recover my lost loved ones, I'd been knocked unconscious. After that, there was nothing.

My legs shook beneath me, but eventually I managed to steady myself and look around properly. My breath caught in my throat as I saw that from nowhere, an army of shadows appeared, creeping ominously towards me. They stopped around the edge of the clearing, and then one stepped forward from their ranks. I clenched my fists as I faced the Dark Lord.

"Andromeda, so nice to see you again," he hissed, the venom in his voice malevolent. "I can't say the same back to you, Tom," I shot back, suddenly filled with a reckless courage. Red anger flashed in the Dark Lord's eyes, but he didn't strike. Instead he cocked his head, examining me, and then went to speak again.

"I would like to believe that you finally came to your senses by entering the Forbidden Forest on this night, dear Andromeda. When your comrades brought you to me, I thought that perhaps you had finally come to your senses and decided to join me properly. I was willing to allow you and your beloved fiancé to continue living as you were before you so rudely ran from me at Malfoy Manor. But then we found Potter, and I realised that you weren't here for me; instead you were here for him."

He moved closer to me, circling me threateningly. "You are very loyal, you know. Your loyalty to the Weasley family despite their diabolical treatment of you over the years astounds me, as does your loyalty to Draco despite everything he has done. Your ability to be loyal would be almost admirable, Andromeda, if only you were loyal to the right side. You could have been one of my finest students - an astounding dark witch in your own right with my tutorage. But, alas, you chose the wrong side, and you let your loyalty get in the way of what would have been a magnificent destiny.

"I am going to kill you, Andromeda, but not here. We're going to take you back to the castle and I will kill you myself on the steps of Hogwarts, in front of all of your friends and family. When they see the bodies, nobody will resist me again."

He looked behind him, and the Death Eaters parted to show a huge shadow lumbering forward; a gigantic man with a bush for hair and beard, and tattered clothes that were wet with blood. My breath caught in my throat at Hagrid approached, tears streaming down his cheeks, and at the body in his arms.

Harry Potter looked peaceful in death, in a way that he hadn't in life. He no longer frowned, and his blue eyes were no longer filled with grief and misery. The corners of his mouth were turned up slightly, as if he were having a pleasant dream that had warranted a smile, and all of the pain that the world had placed on his shoulders at such a young age was gone now. He was with his parents, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Dumbledore, Fred, Cedric, Charlie, Colin Creevey, Lavender Brown and so many others. He would not be lonely in death - I was certain of it - and perhaps he would even be happier than he had been in life.

Sapphire (Lazuli Book #3) - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)Where stories live. Discover now